If I Stay

A few side notes before I actually review this book. 

1. I do not understand why the main review printed on the cover is "Will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyere's TWILIGHT"  Not that it won't (cause I am a fan and it appealed to me) BUT this book isn't about vampires or anything remotely close to Twilight. Therefore, this shouldn't have been the cover quote. 

2.  When Buffalo News was quoted by saying it was "reminiscent of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones." I was skeptical, I loved The Lovely Bones and feel this is quite a bold statement. They also, (they being whoever picks what quotes from reviews to print on the books) included a review quote from San Jose Mercury News (aka my hometown newspaper) making this book already CRAZY awesome. 

3. This book is heavily musically influenced, SO much that the author contains a couple pages explaining the songs she choose for the book and even more so that as I write this review , I am listening to the songs on YouTube.

If I Stay is a book about a girl named Mia who is involved in a car accident with her family and during the 24 hours she is in a coma from all her injuries, her spirit is still alive... Able to see what is going on around her. While watching this happen she is reminiscing on all the memories she has had with her Dad, Mom, younger brother Teddy, Her boyfriend Adam, Her best friend Kim, and her Grandparents.. As well as other parts in life; such as being an extremely talented Cellist. As she is looking back on these memories and watching her life as it is now in the Hospital, she is stuck with the choice should she stay or should she go?

When I picked this book, I had sneaky suspicion it would be an awesome book, but little did I know I would REALLY love it. The drama starts in fairly quick and the author Gayle Forman does an amazing job, at making you fall in love with all these characters and feeling their pain. You CANNOT read this book without crying and what is even better is how real and quirky all the characters are from her Parents, and Kim and even Adam. The innocence and depth of that love, her and Adam shared it SO amazing. It isn't the lustful, fluffy romance we see in books and movie, that was all wish we had. It is an honest portrayal. Although, not attainable by most people; it is still out there.

My other favorite thing about the book, is how at the end Forman explains to us how she got the idea for the book, as well as why she choose the songs she did and again, I think it made the story that more real. The music is such a big deal in the book, it is the glue.

All in all, it is a pretty quick read and a great read at that. Please Please Please read it, please be moved by it. Please.